The End of College As We Know It (And Students Feel Fine)

Will massive lecture classes soon be a distant memory? Business students attend a lecture at Stockholm University.

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In 15 years, college as we know it won’t disappear, but it will be profoundly different, with more on-demand classes, free online materials and significantly more employer input on what is actually taught in schools.

So says a massive new survey of 20,876 undergraduate students in 21 countries, conducted by polling firm Zogby Analytics and commissioned by Laureate Education Inc.

Recognizing the speed of change in most industries and the pace at which new skills are required to get ahead, 41% of respondents–and more than half of China-based respondents–anticipate that students will be able to earn credits and certificates throughout their careers, instead of cramming college into a two- or four-year stint. In other words, they say, students of the future will get practical training on an as-needed basis.

“Students recognize that a degree is temporary and static and, instead, seem to recognize that in a gig economy [in which workers make a living with several different freelance projects] … their education will involve more certification and re-certification,” according to the report detailing the survey results, being released Monday.

Such demand for flexibility could portend significant changes in how schools serve their students.

More than half (52%) of respondents believe that most courses will be offered throughout the day and night hours, and 44% expect to tune into lectures or work on projects whenever they wish.

Right now, about one quarter of Laureate’s 850,000 undergraduate and graduate students are working adults, says chief executive Douglas Becker. While he thinks traditional undergraduates—generally considered to be those under 25 years old—will continue to comprise a significant portion of the student market, Becker says he wouldn’t be surprised if, 15 years from now, at least half of Laureate’s students were over 25 and employed.

Midnight classes and summertime schedules might unsettle traditional academics, but that shouldn’t faze future students: 61% of survey respondents expect that most courses offered by universities will be designed by professional experts, such as executives and practitioners, to prepare students for post-graduation jobs, and 44% expect most to be taught by those professionals.

“The future does not marry up to the way that many regulators are structuring higher education,” Becker says, noting that many policymakers have resisted requests to bring practitioners into the classroom.

Employers will also be more involved in career development and mentoring during college, students said.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents in Brazil anticipate the availability of part-time apprenticeships, and more than half of all respondents said employers will weigh internship and apprenticeship performance heavily in recruiting.

The survey was sent in April and May to students at 37 of Laureate’s 78 institutions worldwide, and was conducted to help mark the college operator’s 15th anniversary.

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